1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to optical communication, and more specifically, to digital equalization for optical communication.
2. Description of Related Art
Several impairments may have severe impact on optical communication at data rates of 10 Gigabits/sec (Gb/s) and beyond. These impairments include chromatic dispersion (CD), polarization mode dispersion (PMD), and phase noise of the transmitter, the local oscillator and any other optical components in the optical system such as optical amplifiers.
Existing equalization techniques to compensate for these impairments are inadequate. Linear or decision feedback equalization (DFE) used in intensity modulation/direct detection (IM/DD) receivers has limited effectiveness in single-mode fibers due to the nonlinear behavior of these channels. Adaptation schemes in optical domain techniques are complicated because phase information of the error signal obtained from the electrical domain after direct detection is inherently eliminated. Electronic equalization techniques using microwave and millimeter wave technology are difficult to implement and are not adaptive, leading to poor performance.